


6 Goodbyes to Morning

by Jahaliel



Series: Mercy's Tears are a Healing Balm [6]
Category: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Genre: F/M, because i kinda wanted to get that bittersweet feel, it's not a perfect fix-it, massive spoilers, non-canon ending, spoilers for the ending of the game, the fix-it has kicked in
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-15 22:10:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18508081
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jahaliel/pseuds/Jahaliel
Summary: The flames burn bright waiting to consume Ashina.Though they wish otherwise Emma and Sekiro havetheir own duties to attend to and they are runningout oftime





	6 Goodbyes to Morning

**Author's Note:**

> it's been an utter pleasure to write this.  
> thanks to everyone who has read and enjoyed it  
> i treasure every kudos - and the bookmarks make my day every time
> 
> there'll be an epilogue fic for this series and i've got another couple of unrelated ones in the works
> 
> take care everyone <3

In the morning he leaves before daybreak in order to visit the Divine Child at Senpou once more. They talk for a long time - about many things and in the end Sekiro tells her the truth, that he cannot condone his actions leading to her harm. She tries to convince him it will be okay - but this is something he will not abide, she's far too precious - and he tells her this, willing her to believe that she deserves more than the pain becoming the cradle would bring. "I will pray for you, then, shinobi of the Divine Heir, that you and your lord find a pathway forward." "Thankyou," he tells her, and when he leaves she finds a basket full of ripe persimmons by the sanctum door, an offering she accepts with a saddened heart.   
  
He returns to Ashina - and Emma is avoiding him. He wonders why, even as he follows her silently to visit the Sculptor. The drafty nature of the old temple he claimed works well for Sekiro, he overhears a conversation that he's sure Emma would have rather he didn't. For it turns out she knows of a path forward but instead of Kuro's death it would result in Sekiro's own. And unlike the Divine child's offer this is something Sekiro would consider. He loves Emma, in a way he never thought to but his master is first, always and though he'll never say the words, he loves Kuro too. Quietly, Sekiro goes back around to the temple door and watches the two of them turn, the Sculptor seems unsurprised to see him, Emma a little moreso. He crosses to her and asks "Emma, my dear, what have you been hiding from me?" It takes a little persuasion but she tells him the truth eventually, handing him the bell she'd taken from Owl. "Be careful," she says as he goes to offer it at the Buddha, "please." He nods in acknowledgement and is then swept away into a memory not his own, from three years ago.  
  
He had known that his foster-father had agreed to work with the interior ministry but it still hurt to live through the memory of it. To know that the man he'd cared for who had raised him and given him a name, and a purpose had seen him first and foremost as a tool. This time when he arrived at the hidden temple underneath Hirata it was his father who was waiting for him, who chose to lift a blade against him and this time, unlike Sekiro's own memory it was in a final fight, not a stab in the back. And this was the way Owl would have wanted to go - a battle to the death against the son who'd grown up far beyond what Owl had expected. They fight in the burning building and time ceases it's meaning - lost in the movements of deflect, dodge and attack. The weariness beginning to make itself known in Sekiro's arms as he blocked another swing was the only measure he had for the passage of time. As he fought he spoke, yelled the truth about what could have happened, about Shura - hoping that his father understands that this, now, is the only way forward he sees. Sekiro jumps over the burning blast that would have downed him, running forward into the attack his blade cuts deep and Owl falters. He strikes again - wanting this death to be certain and as the life drains from Owl's eyes he tells his Wolf how proud he is, calls him "son" and it eases something within Sekiro's heart, " _Farewell, father_." he whispers The memory crashes into pieces around him, and he wakes in the temple a branch of flowering everblossom in his hand. "This is the path I choose to walk." he whispers to a ghost.   
  
Emma's left to tend to Isshin and so Sekiro sits down by Sekijo, shares sake with him. The two old warriors speak little as they drink together, they both know that the fires are coming that will burn Ashina down and that this is probably the last chance they will have, that this is farewell. The sculptor teaches Sekiro how to modify the prosthetic arm himself, and install two new upgrades, waving away the sen that he offers. "Take care," he says gruffly when Sekiro stands to leave and the shinobi offers him a salute, "thank you. for all this." he says in farewell, leaving before the tears burning behind his eyes can fall and embarrass them both.   
  
He walks back up the quiet route to the castle, carefully not-thinking. Once he arrives he speaks with Lord Kuro - together they prepare the incense for the Divine realm the scent is sweet and warms around him like a warm embrace - and he knows that he has the gift of a little time. Bidding a fond goodnight to Kuro he hops out onto the rooftops and goes to find Emma. He finds her on top of the watchtower, gaze locked on the forest by the rear of the castle, the trees swaying gently in the wintery wind. She doesn't react when he drops to sit next to her, and respectfully Sekiro keeps a little distance between them - more than he'd like. They sit in silence for a long time, the moon rises high before Emma speaks, "I want Kuro to live. But I do not want to lose you, either of you."   
"Emma," he breathes her name, and reaches out - she turns into his embrace and Sekiro draws her close, feeling the way she shakes. "I love you," he tells her - because it's the truth, because she deserves to know.   
"He's your master."   
"And he's a child, Emma. One who deserves the chance to grow old, to live well and open a teashop and sell riceballs."   
"Sekiro..." her voice breaks on his name and he holds her tighter.   
"I talked with the Divine Child at Senpou temple, but the cost of her way - it would have been terrible for her and I could not... I could not ask that of her, would not wish that harm on an innocent."   
"I understand." The silence grows between them, sorrow-filled and as deep as oceans   
"Emma, will you - will you look out for Lord Kuro?" he asks her, knowing it's unfair, "I would rest easier knowing that the two I love most will take care of each other."   
She doesn't respond for a long moment, "I will. If Lord Kuro wishes I shall remain with him."   
  
They spend the night together, eventually moving indoors when the wind picks up. And they love with a fierce tenderness - a goodbye that neither of them wish to speak out loud. Dawn finds Sekiro writing a letter as Emma sleeps. He writes of all he wishes that they could have been and done - fills the page with words of love and hopes it's enough. He seals it with the last of the flowers he'd brought back, tiny white stars. That done, he kisses Emma's hair, whispers his farewells and heads back down to Mibu village, to the entrypoint to the Divine Realm.   
  
It is a beautiful place, fittingly - full of glorious riotous flowers, hanging wisteria and blooming sakura. The waters of the Fountainhead flow freely down, a cascading waterfall whose roar helps Sekiro sneak past the palace guards. As he finds his way through the buildings he can feel urgency beginning to beat in his blood - that the time he has left is growing ever shorter and it's a balancing act between "hurry" and "caution". He fights ladies with lightning in their hands, swims down past the giant carp whose gifted scales had allowed him to purchase a new art from a pot noble on the hillside. When he opens the door to the castle, an old lady thanks him and clears his path with a viciousness motivated by revenge for a fallen parent. When he prays to the Divine dragon he discovers that the Dragon grants its tears only to those who prove themselves worthy through battle. The fight is intense, beginning with tens of white-branch-dragons that breathe poison. He cuts them down, uses the blue-flame vent the Sculptor had given him to burn them and eventually the Dragon appears, moon-sword in hand. Lightning pulses through the sky and Sekiro uses his skills to reverse it - to send it flying at the Dragon, even as he dodges blows from a sword so much larger than he. When he gets a long stun he jumps, grappling onto the moon-blade and running up it's length to put Fushigiri against the Dragon's head. Sekiro collects the ruby-red tears, thanking the dragon for the gracious gift even as the Divine vanishes around him.   
  
He wakes to a world on fire.  
  
Isshin is waiting for him, tells him that Kuro and Emma have already gone, heading into the passage in the reservoir to make their way out of Ashina. Together the shinobi and the old lord run through the castle - Isshin pauses at the gate where a demon rages, it's left arm made of red-hot flames. He murmurs a prayer for his fallen friend, then at Sekiro's urging they run on. When they arrive at the silvergrass field, Kuro's already been wounded by the black mortal blade, wielded by Genichiro. Emma is nowhere in sight, and Sekiro spares a brief thought for her, hoping that she is safe.  
  
While Isshin distracts Genichiro, Sekiro picks up the too-light, too-still form of his lord and moves him carefully out of the way. Genichiro swings the black blade to claim Isshin's life - the older man falls to his knees, the wound is fatal. Sekiro steps forward, drawing Genichiro's attention away from the dying Lord of Ashina, Kusabimaru raised in a defensive position. "To hesitate is to lose, Sekiro." Isshin whispers as the shinobi moves past him, a small nod of acknowledgement the only sign he heard.   
  
They fight as they did once before, Genichiro who loved his country, and Sekiro who loves his lord. It's a fierce fight, black and red mortal blades sweep in bright arcs even as their regular swords clash and spark. Sekiro keeps pressing in to avoid Genichiro drawing his bow, knowing from hard won experience that the man is an excellent archer. Lightning sparks along Genichiro's sword, shooting towards the shinobi, who jumps, and kicks it back as if they were children with a ball. The shock connects hard and Sekiro seizes the advantage, able to get what should have been a successful killing blow. But Genichiro isn't yet done, and with his dying strength he lifts the black mortal blade and binds another to finish his final wish.   
  
A young-Isshin appears behind Genichiro, gently takes the black blade from a hand losing it's grip, Sekiro's face must show something of his horror, for Isshin has been pulled off the path to a peaceful afterlife and bound to a will not his own. "To hesitate, is to lose," he hears again, twice over from the dying man behind him and the apparition in front of him. The memory-spirit attacks viciously, doing his level best to flatten Sekiro - this is not the old Lord who patiently taught the shinobi how to best use the Ashina style but the Sword-Saint who had led the vicious rebellion, who had won Ashina back from those who held it before. Sekiro mourns with every deflection and counter - when his strikes hit true that they, that Ashina has come to this.   
  
It's the blood-red blade that severs the ties keeping the Saint bound to this plane, he whispers thanks and farewell to Sekiro. Something in him breaks at the loss, as the castle burns behind him, he is grateful that he will also soon move on from this earthly place. Returning to the side of his Lord, he speaks reassurance to the young man, and offers up the Dragon Tears that he mixed with the everblossom flowers. Kuro relaxes, unconscious in his arms and Sekiro lays him gently down, kissing his forehead "Forgive me." he says, and then takes up the mortal blade, lays it against his neck and with his eyes on the dawn, draws it home.

  
  
Cherry blossoms dance in the wind and turn to dust - the resurrective power of the Dragon's heritage broken.  
  
  
  
Into the silence comes a voice, echoing with the power that lies beneath the open gate  
  
" _Life for life, Ashina heretics are calling._  
 _Life to life, to see the new day dawning._  
 _I am Isshin, Lord of the Land,_  
 _between Life and Death I stand._  
 _So let this then be true_  
 _Life for life, given freely to you."_   
  
Sekiro cannot make sense of the words - surely he is dead. But then laughter comes from close by, the feel of something brushing his hair back from his face. "Ah Sekiro, surely you fascinate me - so stubborn, so ready to die... so worthy of life beyond this." Sekiro tries to open his eyes, but cannot focus  
"Live, Sekiro." comes the command from the old fading voice  
"Live, my Wolf," echoes a plea in a young, faltering voice  
"Live, please, my love," a third begs - holding onto thin hope.  
  
Sekiro wakes, blinking the sun bright against his face. He moves his hand, lifting it to wipe a tear from Emma's cheek even as his other arm moves to pull his young lord close holding on to the boy he thought he'd died for. "I'm here," he murmurs to them, voice rough with disbelief   
  
_"I'm here."_


End file.
